Revelation
by Arrietty
Summary: SG1 finds new defence technology, but the cost may be just too great. Season 6.


Revelation

Her boots squelched in the mud, as she struggled through the swampland. Every so often she would lose her footing and one of her legs would sink right up to her thigh.

She was cold and the nervous sweat that broke out on her skin, turned to ice in the bitter wind. The rain was relentless as it pelted down on her unprotected head, which was flattening down the short blond hair so it stuck to her head like a helmet. The cold rain ran in rivulets down the back of her neck and under her jacket, soaking into her already wet T-shirt.

She couldn't help herself, the rain mingled with the tears as they coursed down her face. They had gone. All her team were gone. They had died trying to save her. Checking inside her shirt with her hand just to make sure it was safe. It was what they had come for, what they had died for. She must get it home safe, so their deaths would not have been in vain. Then it wouldn't matter after that, nothing would ever matter again.

Breaking through the unstable ground once again, she fell through, this time both legs sunk down into the depths. Just in time, she managed to save herself from sinking beneath the murky water by clutching hold of a small bush. From somewhere deep inside herself, she found the energy to drag herself up onto a piece of turf and then lay still, breathing heavily. The sharp pain in her head struck her hard, making her cry out as she clutched her head in agony. She could hear the excited baying of the dogs as they got closer to their prey just as she began to lose consciousness.

She woke up to the steady dripping of water onto her face. The rain had stopped, but the water was still dripping off the leaves from the tree that was looming above her. She couldn't hear the dogs or the thundering beasts that had pursued her relentlessly anymore. Sitting up, she very carefully pulled out a battered plastic wrapped energy bar. It was broken into several pieces, but she ate it carefully, taking small sips of water in between each mouthful. She was relieved that her head didn't hurt anymore. There was no blood or damage as far as she could tell. "Why does my head hurt like that?" She asked herself quietly, giving herself some strange comfort, in hearing her own voice.

She wasn't sure how long she had been unconscious, but is was beginning to get dark and she knew that she had to find a safe place to sleep. There was no way that she could move through this swamp in the darkness, she would never see where she was going. Walking a little way, she came across a hollow at the base of a large tree. The ground was relatively dry and she would be sheltered from the rain under the roots. Curling up into a ball on her side, with her back snugly fitted against the back of the small opening, she pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapped her arms around her legs and closed her eyes. Within seconds she was asleep.

Darkness closed around the sleeping form and the night creatures in the swamp started their chorus of sounds. The frogs were croaking, while little animals scurried around the undergrowth looking for grubs and worms to feed on. Oblivious to all of this, curled up in a tight ball similar to that of hedgehog, slept a tired, hurt and emotionally broken, Major Samantha Carter.

Sam wasn't sure what time it was when she was woken up. It had felt like a small animal had touched its cold wet nose against her hand. This had startled her awake. She found that her body hurt and was very stiff and cold all over. Sam unfolded herself from the cramped position she had been in and found that she could stretch out a bit under the tree without getting wet. The rain had started up again during the time that she had been asleep and it was still very dark. Realising that she wouldn't be able to continue her journey until the morning had come, she decided to try and go back to sleep. Unfortunately sleep eluded her and her mind began to go over what had happened in the last two days.

He had been so excited about the find. Jonas had found while reading some notes taken by archaeologists many years ago. They were in the briefing room and he was enthusiastically explaining what he had found out. It looked like there was a way to protect Earth from the Goa'uld forever.

"This picture shows a stone tablet that has been discovered in Egypt, it was found by accident buried in the sand. There was nothing else like it found nearby at all. The writing on it is the writings of the Furlings."

"Oh," groaned O'Neill. "Here we go again. Last time we came across their technology, look what happened."

"I only see a stone tablet, not any technology, O'Neill," Teal'c pointed out.

"Actually, Teal'c, there is some technology involved," continued Jonas. "The writing on this tablet explains how we can find the schematics to build ourselves a force field that will completely surround the Earth."

There was a stunned silence around the room as everyone began to realise the potential for such a device.

"So, this is a map?" asked a _now_ very interested O'Neill.

"Not exactly, Colonel," explained Jonas. "The main text tells us what it does and down the bottom are co-ordinates, but unfortunately not all of them. Part of the address has worn away over time, so we are missing one piece of the address. All we need is the actual stone, so we can study it further." Jonas turned to General Hammond.

"General Hammond, have you heard yet abou…."

Just then the telephone rang, Hammond quickly moved out of the briefing room to his office, he picked up the phone listened and then spoke. "Bring it up now." Placing the hand piece back into its cradle, he looked up at SG-1, speaking to them while he walked back into the briefing room. "The stone tablet has arrived, it is being sent up now. Keep me apprised, dismissed." Nodding to O'Neill and Carter who had stood up as Hammond left the room.

O'Neill quickly sat back down, looked straight at Jonas. "How long will it take?"

"I don't know, Colonel. Hopefully not too long and with Major Carter's help, we should be able to decipher the address quite quickly."

It had only taken them half a day to finally decipher the missing glyph. They now had an address that could be the saving of Earth.

The air was full of excitement in the gate room as SG-1 were waiting for the new address to be dialled into the gate. Except for Teal'c, all of the members of the team couldn't keep still; this was one of the most important missions so far. They had been given a chance to retrieve the technology, which could protect Earth from the Goa'uld hopefully, forever. The MALP had been sent through earlier and they had seen the terrain. The UVA had spotted a settlement about two days walk from the gate, though it looked swampy and there seemed to be a lot of forest area to cover, they didn't see any major problems, unless the locals were unfriendly. But by the pictures that had been brought back by the MALP, there had been no sign of modern technology whatsoever. They seemed to be simple village people. '_This had been their first mistake.'_

Sam tried to sit up. She was beginning to shiver and knew that if she didn't get warm soon, she could get seriously ill. Also, she needed to tend to the scratches and wounds that were on her body. Looking through her pockets she managed to find some field dressings, but nothing else. She was loath to use her drinking water to clean any wounds, as she had very little left and no sterilising tablets. Their captors had taken most of their supplies.

"What do you mean, you won't let us go?" O'Neill was getting angry. The people of the village had welcomed SG-1 into their homes, fed them and had told them that they could go anywhere while they searched for the technology they needed. It had taken them four days, but they had found it. Now it was time to leave.

"You are now part of our Village, you cannot leave." The chief of the Village was a large man, in his mid forties with dark hair.

All the villagers were dressed in soft brown homespun clothing. At first there had been no sign of weapons, but all of a sudden spears, knives, bows and arrows appeared from nowhere. Now the men of the village were all carrying a weapon of some kind. The women very carefully ushered the children into the crude houses that they lived in. Unfortunately, SG-1 had not already packed their gear when they informed the villagers that they were leaving. Most of their weapons were well out of reach as they had left them in the hut that they had been sleeping in.

O'Neill quickly brought out his handgun and pointed it at the leader of the village.

"Colonel!" Very carefully O'Neill swivelled around so he could see Jonas as well as the Chief. One of the villagers had Jonas in a neck hold, with a knife held at his throat. Turning back, O'Neill nodded to Sam and to Teal'c, to drop their weapons.

Sam could still remember hearing the thuds as their precious weapons had hit the dusty ground. Still shivering, she carefully rolled up her trouser leg. The bleeding from the cut on her leg had stopped, but it was raised and had scabbed over. It was beginning to look dark pink on the surrounding skin. If only she had something to clean the wound or some antibiotics to take. Wrapping a field dressing around her leg, she knew that this wouldn't really help, because soon, she would have to start walking through the swamp again and it would get wet. Leaning back against the tree, she gazed out into the darkness. Sighing quietly to herself, she couldn't help but think over their escape.

They found themselves in the hut that they had been given before to sleep in. All of their gear had been removed and anything that was remotely technical had been taken off them. This included their watches, GDO's, radios and of course, weapons. Fortunately, the schematics for the new defence shield were in a crystal, which hung from a chain around Sam's neck. To the villagers it just looked like a trinket that reflected pretty colours, Sam liked to wear.

"Of all the stupid reasons why they won't let us leave," O'Neill was walking around the middle of the hut ranting about the villagers.

"Sir, it is their custom. They welcomed us into their village, now we can't leave. No one can leave."

"You know that isn't true, Carter."

"I do not wish to die, O'Neill."

"I wasn't suggesting that option, Teal'c." O'Neill quickly sat down on one of the beds that were in the hut. "Carter. Any ideas?"

"These huts are made out of dried mud; I think we could make a hole in the roof or one of the walls and get out that way."

"Okay. That's the plan then. Let's get to it." O'Neill quickly got up off the bed and started to inspect the hut along with the rest of the team. They were looking for a weak spot in the structures of the hut.

They waited until it was dark and the villagers were asleep to carry out the plan. There were two guards at their door, but there didn't seem to be anyone else around. They had found a weak spot in the roof, so they had worked on that, wetting down the ceiling with water soaked rags to soften the mud. They had broken through the thatch roof and could see two moons shining in the sky. After climbing out over the roof of their hut, they very quickly left the village, creeping silently into the forest surrounding the village.

Sam began to feel the tears begin again, as she remembered the first death.

The villagers had found that SG-1 were missing just before dawn. The first sign that they had been missed were the baying of the dogs in the distance. Very quickly they increased their pace. They knew that if they were caught they would die as they had no weapons of any kind and the villagers would not show any mercy.

Soon the sun was breaking through the clouds lighting up their path, so they were able to go faster. Teal'c had doubled back to find out where their pursuers were. He hadn't been gone long, when they heard him call.

"O'NEILL! They are close."

Turning around as she ran, Sam looked back at Teal'c, she hadn't seen him run so fast before, he was leaping down the side of the bank that they had just climbed down. Looking up behind him, Sam saw the villagers. They were riding something she had never seen before in her life. They weren't horses; they were some kind of bear, but with larger heads and long tails. Saliva was dripping down their long fangs onto the ground. The villagers that rode them had removed their outer clothing and had painted their skin in a dark red paint.

SG-1 realised at once, that the villagers had never intended on keeping them in their village because they were considered members of their village, but they were just waiting for the right time to hunt them down for sport. By this time, all three of them had stopped in their tracks. They watched, mesmerized as the lead villager, climbed up and stood on the back of his beast and lifting a spear up, hurled it after Teal'c. Sam couldn't wipe the sight out of her mind of the spear protruding through Teal'c's chest as he faltered. Clutching the point of the spear, he stopped in his tracks.

"Run, go." Sinking onto his knees, whilst still pleading with his eyes for them to leave, he then fell onto his side. He was staring into nothing and Sam knew that he was dead. The spear had gone right through his back and come out through his chest.

It was getting colder and Sam realised that dawn must be approaching. Getting up carefully, she started walking. Sam knew she should wait until the sun came up so then she would be sure she was heading in the right direction, but she had to keep walking, even if it was only to keep her mind off what had happened.

It didn't take long and the sun began to rise. Fortunately, Sam had been walking in the right direction and she had only fallen into the swamp three times thus far. Now that it was getting light, she could see where she was going and hopefully, completely avoid the very wet areas. She also began to recognise the terrain and knew that it wouldn't be long before she came to more woodland areas that would be easier for her to traverse. Unbidden, Jonas came to her mind.

It was horrific and only minutes after Teal'c had died. They were running full tilt down through the trees towards the swamp. Sam and O'Neill heard the screams before they saw what was happening. Stopping quickly, they turned to see one of the beasts that had been chasing them catch hold of Jonas, picking him up in its teeth, while the rider was thrusting with his spear into Jonas. The beast shook Jonas' body in its mouth and then threw it down to the ground. Blood dripped off the beast's fangs as it looked directly at Sam with red blazing eyes. It was then that Jack had grabbed hold of her hand and dragged her into the swamp. With her other hand, she had angrily swiped at the tears she couldn't stop. Floundering through the swamp hanging onto each other, they made their way deeper into mist that had arisen over the swampland. They couldn't see a thing. The baying of the dogs seemed to be far away in the distance and they were pretty sure that the animals had lost their scent in the water. Finding a relatively dry spot, they sank down onto a grassy knoll.

"Sir?" Sam asked tentively. The colonel was sitting with his legs drawn up and his head hanging between his knees, his hands were clasped over the back of his neck. "Sir?" Sam asked again, a little louder. She noticed that his body was shaking. Moving closer, Sam sat with her shoulder pressed against him and sliding her arm over his shoulders, she held him tightly and waited. Sam couldn't remember much through the rest of the night. She remembered him turning around and holding her back. She must have fallen asleep because the next thing she knew, the colonel was waking her up from a deep sleep. The sun had cleared the mist away.

"Hey, Carter, it's morning."

"Morning? It was the afternoon, last I remember." Sam looked around her. "Where are we?"

"By the sun's direction, I'd say we are a little off course, but if we go that way," O'Neill pointed towards the west, "We should reach the Stargate by this time tomorrow."

It had been late afternoon when the villagers found them. They heard the barking of the dogs, before they saw them.

O'Neill quickly grabbed Sam by the shoulders. "Whatever happens, you must get that crystal back to the SGC. Whatever happens." He repeated.

Sam felt her eyes fill with tears, quickly moving forward she caught O'Neill around the waist and held him tight. Without hesitating, he held her firmly. Pulling away from Sam, he looked into her eyes again and gave her a small smile.

"Come on, we've gotta go." Taking Sam by the hand, he led her further into the swamp.

Sam didn't want to think anymore. Didn't want to remember his cry as the arrows pierced his back or the way he had looked at her as he died in her arms. She didn't want to go on then, she wanted to give up, just wait for the hunters to find her. But she had remembered his words. _'You have to get the crystal back to the SGC.' _ Sam had run after that, remembering Jack's words, running them over and over in her head, trying not to remember their faces as they had died.

Suddenly, without warning, another sharp pain pierced through her head. Clutching her head, she sank to her knees in the oozing mud. Tears of pain joined the tears of sorrow on her face as she tried to cope with the excruciating pain. Through the pain she could hear his voice. Jack was telling her to fight it. Fight what? Sam had no idea what she was supposed to fight. It would be easier to succumb to the pain and pass out.

Sam woke up shivering, not from the cold but from a high fever. Her leg was pulsating with a throbbing pain. Through her clouded fevered vision, she could see one of the beasts right beside her. Blood was dripping off its fangs and she could smell its foul breath. _'Whose blood is that?'_ she asked herself, _'Jonas', Teal'c's or Jack's. Maybe it's mine.'_ Looking again at the beast, it was gone. She was alone. Realising that she must have been hallucinating, Sam decided to move on. Getting up with difficulty, she trudged on through the mire towards her goal. The ground became firm as she came to the edge of the swamp and was very muddy. The mud stuck to the bottom of her boots, making it difficult to lift her feet off the ground.

Finally, she saw the Stargate, shining in the sunlight. Reaching the DHD, she dialled in Earth's address and then sank to the ground, unconscious.

The pain in Sam's body was dulled, but the pain in her head was still acute. Very cautiously, she opened her eyes. For a minute, she couldn't work out where she was. Then it hit her - she was back in the hut, they must have caught her. Tears sprung into her eyes, _'their deaths were all for nothing. I have failed them.' _Wiping her face, she realised that someone was in the room. Sam carefully sat up. Someone was sitting on the end of her bed, watching her.

"I wondered when you would wake up. You gave us quite a scare."

Sam sat there in stunned silence, Jack O'Neill was sitting on her bed and his face was calm, while he watched her intently.

"You're alive?"

"Course I am, you're the one who tried to bail on us."

Headache forgotten, Sam crawled out of bed and moved closer to O'Neill, reaching up tentatively she touched his face with her hand. "You're real." Her voice quavered uncertainly.

"Yep, last time I checked."

Sam slid her arms around him and held him tight. "What about Teal'c and Jonas?" came a muffled question from Sam.

"They're fine. If it weren't for the villagers, you would have died. That insect that bit you is a killer, if you're not treated quickly enough." O'Neill had wrapped his arms around Carter and was holding her.

By now Sam was sobbing into his shirt, clutching him tightly. Jack had no idea what was wrong, but he did wonder if it had anything to do with the hallucinating dreams that she had been having these last few days. Looking down at her bare leg, he could see that the swelling had gone down; the poultice had worked. Teal'c and Jonas had now come into the room. They had questioning looks on their faces as they gazed at Sam dressed only in a homespun nightgown with her face buried into her CO's chest, while he rocked her gently.

"She's going to be all right," Jack whispered to them. "Did you find it?"

"Yes, it was in a secret compartment in the back of the ruins," Jonas held out his arm. "Colonel you wouldn't believe what the villagers ride, they look like a bear and they have fangs right down to here," Jonas said, pointing with his other hand, down to the ground.

"They have a rather unpleasant odour," stated Teal'c.

O'Neill smiled a smile of satisfaction, while he held Sam.

"Hey, Sam, looks like we can go home now."

Sam pulled her head away from his chest and with a wavering smile, looked at Teal'c. Turning her head, with the words of Jonas about the beasts ringing in her ears, her gaze rested on what was swinging from his hand. It was a crystal fixed to a gold chain. The sun glinted on the crystal, reflecting different colours around the room.

The End

18


End file.
